Hey y'all! Happy Thanksgiving! Let me just say that I am so very sorry for the long wait. I have just had so many distractions and no time for writing. Plus my computer was broken so I had to share the laptop with my family. So, yeah. Anyway, sorry about that, but here it is: Chapter 2. I'll let you guess who's point of view it's in ;) (Ok fine it's Shadow's POV). Lots of dialogue, I know but I found it necessary for this chapter.

By the way, I know a few of you are still waiting for the update on Second Chance. With the second chapter of this story out of the way, I will have a little more time to work on that. So, fear not, I have not forgotten about it, just been busy.

So w/o further ado, here is chapter two!

Enjoy :D

*Flashback*

I didn't want to leave her, but I knew it was too late. She was gone. I grabbed Maria's hand and ran away to the escape pods. I couldn't save Jaden, but I will save Maria.

The GUN agents boots hammered on the ground as they chased behind us, not the least bit worried about the dead hedgehog girl they had just shot. Being the sick monsters they are.

Maria was crying. Little tears started coming out as she ran along with me. Jaden was her friend as well as my sister. I didn't want Maria to cry, to be sad about something that can't be changed. "Maria, it'll be ok. Don't cry," I said as comforting as I could in a situation like this. She looked at me and said in a tiny voice, "Really, Shadow?" I nodded. She nodded back and with her free hand she wiped her tears away.

I started to pull her by her hand to make us run faster. "Shadow. I can't run this fast. I don't think I can run anymore." Maria said while panting, her breath sounding even more labored than before.

"It's ok. Just keep going. It's only a little farther and then I'll never make you run this much again," I reassured. Maria gave a tired 'ok' and continued forward.

There it was. The escape pod room. Right there in front of us. The sliding door opened as it sensed the motion in front of it and we entered, GUN right behind us.

We went up to a pod and I pressed the button to make it open. Maria and I were about to enter but stopped when the agents burst into the room. Then the last thing I expected happened.

Maria pushed me into the pod and closed the door. "Maria, what are you-?!" I started, but she rushed over to the control panel a few feet away from the pod and was about to pull the lever that releases the pod.

"Step away from the panel or we will have to use force!" an agent said in an authoritative tone. She almost pulled it. An agent brought up his gun. My eyes went wide when I realized what was about to happen. "No, Maria, don't-"

And they shot her.

"MARIA!" I cried and started banging on the glass, trying to get out of the pod, my eyes even wider. She collapsed to the ground in front of the panel. Blood began to pour out onto the floor. She weakly looked up at me. "Shadow... I beg of you...please, do it for me...for a better future...for all the people who live on that planet...give them a chance to be happy. Let them live for their dreams. Shadow, I know you can do it. That's the reason that you were brought into this world." She said to me, her voice sounding distant. "Maria," I started, still in shock and grief, "I- I promise,"

She smiled sadly and then said, "Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog." I started to pound on the glass once more. "Maria, wait!" But she didn't listen. She pulled the lever and my pod shot down into space.

"NO!" I screamed. But it was too late. I was already hurtling to Earth.

I stared out into the deep void of space, my hands against the glass. The image of Maria's bloody death was still fresh in my mind.

"Maria..."

I sat down with my legs pulled up to my chest and hugged them close. "What do I do now?" I asked myself. Only now, after the loss of two of my closest friends, my family, does grief begin to take full effect on me. Finally showing its ugly mug after I try to suppress it.

Why could I not save them? I am the Ultimate Life Form, so tell me, why could I not save them?!

I felt something wet and warm on my cheek. A tear. I was crying. I tried to wipe it away, but more came to replace it.

All was silent. I made no noise as I cried for the loss of my family. My only family. I was not bawling and choking up in sobs like others might, but I simply stared into space in a deep silence that seemed eternal, like this was all I have left. The only thing I would ever feel again. This silence. This silence was like a disturbance was made throughout everything. This silence would not even be broken when noise around me would be made, when I landed on Earth. This silence ran too deep to be penetrated. It was already intertwined with my soul. A part of me, lost. A part that could not be found, because it wasn't just lost; it was destroyed. A void that would forever be tearing away my heart and soul. The silence of death. Quiet. Dead. Nothingness...

*Flashback Ends*

"Shadow?"

I snapped out of my daze and looked back at Jaden who sat up on the couch. Here she was after all these years... After that day. The day I left her.

"W-where am I?" Jaden asked.

"You're in my house. I'm Sonic by the way," Sonic piped in. I simply stared at Jaden. She was alive. Wholly and truly alive.

"Oh. Well it's nice to meet you,"

"Actually, why and how you're here is what I'd like to know," I interrupted, sitting myself down in a lounge chair.

"What do you mean?" Jaden asked, looking over at me.

I raised an eyebrow at her in confusion. "Well I figured with you showing up at Faker's doorstep," I said while gesturing to Sonic, "there might be a reason behind it."

"Unconscious, actually," Faker added.

Now it was Jaden's turn to look confused. "Really? I- I don't remember that."

"Well, what's the last thing you do remember?" I asked.

She thought for a moment before stating a quiet, "I don't know. I don't know what I remember."

She looked down and seemed to be looking for a better answer. Faker and I sat in silence waiting on her. Eventually, I got a bit impatient and broke the silence.

"Well I'll tell you what I remember," I started as Jaden looked up from the ground and at me, "I remember you being shot on the ARK. I remember watching you die, the bullet that wasn't even meant for you," the words leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

A flash of recognition appeared in her eyes. So she does remember something...

"So tell me, you obviously remember me, do you remember that day?" I continued.

She looked at the floor again as if recollecting memories of the fateful day.

"Yes."

"How much of it?" I questioned further, even though I hated the topic.

"... Most if it."

"What about the ARK and the Professor and... Maria...? Do you remember any of that?" I continued stretching as far as I could to bring back her memories.

Jaden shut her eyes tightly. By the look on her face I could tell that she was straining to remember. "Sort of, but not all of it," she stated.

"Then tell me, if you remember the ARK incident, when you were shot, Jaden, it was nothing but fatal, so how are you sitting here now?" I finally asked the question I had been wanting to know.

This conversation brought back a few flashes of memories I had suppressed. Jaden's 'death', Maria's, everything. I clenched my fists. All this time I spent forgetting, only for these memories to come flooding back in.

But for the moment I had to ignore it. There were more important things to think about.

Jaden stared at the floor, once more, thinking. "I'm not sure... I think... I remember a voice... saying that it would take me down here, to Earth, but I really don't know."

Suddenly, she looked significantly more annoyed than anything.

"Ugh, why can't I remember anything?!" She asked herself loudly, while putting her head in her hands.

"Hey, it's alright," I assured, "It not your fault. I know what it's like to not remember anything." After all I did, all too well.

She nodded. She seemed to still be a bit upset that some of her memory was missing and another silence filled the room as no one knew what to say next. I looked at the ground in thought, taking this all in.

"But there is one thing I remember," Jaden said breaking the silence. I looked up at her. She looked as though she was straining to bring the memory to mind. "The very last thing I remember, there was a man. He was carrying me away. There were gunfires and shouting and... I don't know what was going on but I remember that..."

"Do u know where you were?" Sonic said for the first time in many minutes. I actually almost forgot he was there.

"No, but it's somewhere I've been before, I think. But he told me it would be alright. He told me to try to find you, Shadow, that I would be safe with you... but it's so vague. I only remember bits and pieces," Jaden said, going into detail as much as she could.

"Interesting," I stated.

"I can remember some of the ARK. I can remember that man. Yet, there is a gap between the two and I don't know what happened during that time. I only remember short images. There were bright lights and loud noises and... it hurt. Something hurt terribly..." She continued while staring off in a daze, "I'm sorry, I know you were probably looking for a real explanation, but I just don't know."

"Well it sounds like you've been through a lot lately. I don't expect you to have all the answers," I said. Jaden nodded.

"Shads," she started, "I don't even know where I've been since the ARK incident. I'm going to have to start over. Get a house and everything. Because if I had a home, I have no idea where it is. That's gonna be tough."

"Well you can start off at my house, and I'll help you go from there. And I will as much as I can," I told her.

She smiled and said a soft, "Thank you."

xXxXxXx

After the reunion at Sonic's house, I took Jaden back home with me (even though she was reluctant to ride on my motorcycle).

I showed her the guest room where she could stay and showed her around to other areas in the house.

After the short tour, we ended in the living room, I was about to go upstairs to my room when Jaden put a hand on my shoulder and stopped me. I turned and looked at her. She wore a grateful smile on her face and said, "Thank you, Shadow. Thank you so much."

"Well, you are welcome," I said back. Then, I did something I haven't done in what felt like forever.

I smiled.

"And thank you. Thank you for coming back. I missed you," I said, still holding the smile on my face.

Jaden grinned and hugged me. When she released me she said, "It's been a long day," she glanced out the window at the setting sun, "I'm going to bed. Good night, Shadow."

"Good night."

With that she walked up the stairs to the guest room. I heard the door open and close and I, instead of going to my room, walked over and sat on the couch. I looked out the window and watched the sun disappear in the horizon as the pink and orange sky slowly turned to navy blue.

But something was still bothering me. I was reminded of something from seeing Jaden. The day I left her behind after she was shot. Instead of fighting back and trying to save everyone, I left. And it cost me those closest to me.

So on the couch I sat, staring off thinking of that terrible day. The day I ran away. Ran away from the fight instead of fighting back. I had failed to protect Jaden and Maria. And just then, I felt something I hadn't felt in a while. Guilt...

*Jaden's POV*

I went into the guest room and immediately flopped on the bed. I put my hands behind my head and stared up at the ceiling. I thought about my memories.

Why were so many of them missing? The last thing I can recall is that man... carrying me away, as if... he were trying to save me from something. But... From what? It was a recent memory, I knew that much. Very recent, actually.

Sleep slowly brought itself upon me as I closed my eyes. I was still thinking about my last memory, the man, as sleep started coming.

I was weak and he carried me away from danger away from... whatever it was, but I still don't know where we were.

Just before I fell asleep, an image flashed into my mind. As I was carried away, I glanced at a wall and saw three letters plastered on the wall.

G.U.N.

My eyes shot open and I sat up on the bed.

That's where I had been, GUN head quarters. The man was saving me from GUN.

But why was I there so recently...?

I slowly laid back down and tried to fall asleep. My unanswered question remaining in my head. Even behind my closed eyelids, I could still see those three letters.

G.U.N...

Yayyy gosh I'm so happy to be done with this chapter.

Jaden: It took you over three months to write that? A little short isn't it.

Shadow: Yeah, and I don't hug or... *shivers in disgust* smile

Well it's supposed to show the softer side of you.

Shadow: Whatever. But really couldn't you have at least gotten to 3000 words

What? What's wrong with 2500?

Jaden: Everything

Anyway... REVIEW! I LOVE REVIEWS! :D Tell me what you think. Not much action happened, I know, but there's more to come, trust me.

Until next time,

Peace out!